Little House On The Prairie - General Discussion

[Brn2bwild]

TV Show Carrie is the biggest fool who ever lived, but in "Werewolf of Walnut Grove," they really should have told her about their plan to fool the bully beforehand.

[Katy M]

13 hours ago, Pirpana said:

I find it a bit strange that Miss Beadle, teacher and the one who gave the assignment, doesn't recognize poison ivy. And she's scratching her face, did she also rub the leaves on her face?

I think she was a city person.  And, yeah, I imagine she did.  Didn't Mrs. Olson do that earlier because she said it was soft.

[debraran]

52 minutes ago, Katy M said:

I think she was a city person.  And, yeah, I imagine she did.  Didn't Mrs. Olson do that earlier because she said it was soft.

Yes, but Charles and Caroline knew. What I found odd was that in treating them, she didn't educate them at the same time? So what if Willie was stupid, you don't let them all come down with poison ivy which made her Mom work too. And Nel's could have gotten it and probably would have in real life touching everything.

I understand they felt justified but later saying to their mother (in real life) I think one of the leaves they got "might be poison ivy" might have had her look and say something.

I love the moments when Harriet and Caroline are civil and nice and Harriet was a trooper with her tea set...lol. She didn't complain when she fell this time and accepted help when offered without gloat. They were 2 mothers worried about their kids. Then (to me) Nellie was worse than usual because she didn't have to say anything, they both just had an accident, it didn't have to be a "fault" thing. Laura could have explained it to her parents later . It just seemed like the writers just couldn't think of a way to end it where they weren't friendly.

Edited July 30, 2021 by debraran

[Mr. Sparkle]

7 hours ago, Brn2bwild said:

TV Show Carrie is the biggest fool who ever lived, but in "Werewolf of Walnut Grove," they really should have told her about their plan to fool the bully beforehand.

I always skip this one. I also skip "Bully Boys." I guess I don't like prairie bullying. 

"Werewolf" is followed by "The Angry Heart," which I can also skip. 

[CountryGirl]

13 hours ago, Brn2bwild said:

TV Show Carrie is the biggest fool who ever lived, but in "Werewolf of Walnut Grove," they really should have told her about their plan to fool the bully beforehand.

Something tells me even if they had told her, she still would have found a way to screw it up.

[jird]

12 hours ago, Superclam said:

I always skip this one. I also skip "Bully Boys." I guess I don't like prairie bullying. 

"Werewolf" is followed by "The Angry Heart," which I can also skip. 

Plus, by Werewolf they seem to have completely forgotten how they solved the bully problem before - by collectively beating the crap out of the bully.

I skip The Angry Heart, too. I feel so bad for the grandparents.

[Egg McMuffin]

I dislike the Bully Boys because Alden is such a naive, sanctimonious jackass, and everyone listens to him.

[Brn2bwild]

More watching of iconically dark episodes.  I watched "May We Make Them Proud" (aka the Baby Battering Ram episode):

1. Surprised me that the entire fire happened in the first 15 minutes of Part One.

2. BBR was just as disturbing as I recalled. The last close-up of Alice Garvey was the stuff of nightmares.

3. Watching the suffering in this episode made me wonder why Nellie is jealous of Laura.  Laura lost a baby brother, her sister went blind, her nephew burned to death, her family is poor and lost their crops/farm/whatever God knows how many times. Meanwhile, Nellie's parents love her and her brother is a pest but not too bad.  The worst thing that happened to Nellie is that she discovered she had an overweight aunt.   

4. Do we know how Mary views Albert? She never lived with him, never got a chance to adjust to him being part of their family. I would have loved it if at some point she said coldly: "My Pa may have adopted you, but you will never be my brother."

5. After the first harrowing 15 minutes, the two-parter was really slow and Albert-centric. He seemed to be the only person who felt anything other than (obviously) Mary/Adam and Jonathan/Andy. Charles and Carolyn were practically cheerful, almost as if they knew their "grandson" was fake all along.  

6. It's so weird to have these episodes juxtaposed against the more cheerful, corny episodes where Laura is in love with Almanzo.  Speaking of, where was he in this episode? 

 

ETA: In "Wilder and Wilder," I can't believe Albert is fighting Andy over a girl when in JUST THE LAST EPISODE ALBERT KILLED HIS MOTHER, OMG.

Edited July 31, 2021 by Brn2bwild

[debraran]

Yes there was a lot of forgetfulness in LHOP. I hadn't noticed but many fans say Caroline was made to act coldly about a new grandchild with Charles acting like Mary's baby never existed. They had a house burn down, kids relocated, 2 died and then it's business as usual. Really not much is mentioned again. I found myself wondering about the kids who were relocated a lot.

Caroline had such an awful reaction to Grace's pregnancy and her son's death, I thought she seemed a little off with Mary and her loss. It wasn't even just his death, but most important, but they lost their school, their teaching, their good friend, someone was left motherless along with Mary.

I think when Mary said "How much more am I to take" she meant it on and off the air.

[debraran]

16 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

I think the problem is that there is no winning with mother Oleson and her cubs.  Harriett takes everything personally, and from the episodes I have seen, will defend her kids no matter what.

If Mary had told Harriet that Willie had run up and grabbed the poison ivy before she could stop him, Willie would have still blamed Mary, and Harriet would have backed Willie.

I don't know why Harriet sticks up for her kids so often even when they are in the wrong, which happens to be most, if not all of the time.

Yes, I always think it's a disservice to an actor to make them one dimensional. That is why I liked or loved when Harriot was "real" and not a caricature. When people were sick and she helped, when her old boyfriend/minister came into town, when they had to move and her and Caroline talked, when she was angry at Nel's, when they were afraid together at the camp out. I think she had a blind spot for her kids but knew them too. She knew Nellie was raised haughty and when Nel's kept repeating to her "He's marrying our daughter" over and over, re Percival, it was funny but also showed they knew she wasn't always the most welcoming person. I did like her with the pig farmers son and Percival though and she was another one dimensional person at times.  You can show someone has good points and still have them be the bad guy at times. Showing them happy together after Nellie and Laura were found and then fighting over something dumb walking back to camp could have been fine, with Charles and Caroline looking at each other with an eye roll. He didn't trust viewers to be able to see subtleties without constantly reminding us who was good and not.

Katherine tried to make her that way but she didn't write the scripts only was "difficult" on the set. ; )

  A quote from her, "MacGregor knew that she had to have some balance in her character. She said the thing that made her Little House on the Prairie role work so well was that she was a foolish woman. So, she was never truly a threat. Instead, she was just endlessly infuriating. She would sometimes have sweet redeeming moments as well."

 

[Egg McMuffin]

10 minutes ago, debraran said:

A quote from her, "MacGregor knew that she had to have some balance in her character. She said the thing that made her Little House on the Prairie role work so well was that she was a foolish woman. So, she was never truly a threat. Instead, she was just endlessly infuriating. She would sometimes have sweet redeeming moments as well."

 

I’ve heard Katherine MacGregor describe Harriet as “foolish” as well. What’s interesting is that in the early episodes, Harriet is not foolish at all, but instead a sharp, manipulative, often hateful character who is a threat. It’s only as time went on that they changed her into comic relief and she became foolish.

Edited July 31, 2021 by Kyle

[jason88cubs]

I have way too much time on my hands, but gosh this is fun

 

(Early morning)

(Charles rises to scrambled eggs, tomatoes and bacon on the table. Charles smiles takes a whiff)"mmmmmmmmm fresh home made breakfast. can a man gt any luckier"

(Laura walks in) ugh eggs again!!cant we ever have pancakes! the olesons have pancakes 4x a week. and all we get is eggs

(Charles slaps Laura)
Charles: now you listen hear child, dont you ever disrespect your ma like that again. you eat your eggs or let your sister Carrie eat them

(Carrie smiles) "gooogaga bbaaa daaa reeeeee teee"

CharleS: see she appreciates your ma's cooking"

(Laura runs out of the house crying_
Caroline: LAURA! (chases after her, but Charles stands up grabs Caroline by the arm) Charles: let her go dear. shes gotta learn it the hard way

Mary: i dont mind eggs. their good for you! ill eta them every day!

Charles: ok brown noser shut up and eat your eggs


(charles walks to work and runs into the doc)
doc: charles ! how you doing
charles: good doc just about to go to work as usual. sun up to sun down just to scrape the barrell.
doc: well listen charles you still owe me 5 dollars for taking out marys tonsills
charles: listen here doc i aint got the money! sorry we arent all rich like the olesons!
doc charles i never said that
charles : i know what you meant! know look im running late. trying to get me fired now you country doctor!
(charles rips off his shirt and starts running, the doc gives a shocked look)

(charles gets to the mill) hanson: charles. you late again. that is 5 days in a row you late
charles: i know mr hanson and im sorry. the doc stopped me
hanson: yes he told me he looking for you. why you no pay your bill?
charles: becaus e not all of us are rich like you , you low paying dirty rotten sob(charles takes hammer and slams it against the building)
hanson: charles i let you go. im sorry, you a good worker but your attitude"
charleS: "huh like youll last 1 week without me!"

(charles spends all day walking then comes up with a plan)
(charles talking to himself) charles: yea thats what ill do. ill break in the olseons and steal the money hehehe

(11:00pm)

charles sneaks into olesons mercantile(shirt off), and takes all their money, he runs home and surpises caroline who has been looking for him(the next day charles tells caroline they have to go)

As they pack to leave, Nels ,Hanson, the  doc all show up. Charles gets nervous. Hanson tells charles he saw him sneaking out with the money

nels apologizes to charles that he is rich and charles is poor

nels says" keep 50% of what you got charles"

teh doc says ," dont worry charles ill never charge you again"

charles cries and says "what a group of friends."

laura runs home and says "mom we can have eggs everyday its ok"

charles takes out handful of money and says "half-pint well be eating pancakes from now on"

everyone laugh and charles smiles and winks at camera

[jird]

I don't know what kind of LH marathon Hallmark was running today, but I tuned in for the end of Blizzard, which was immediately followed by Albert Gets the Fatal Nosebleeds. 

[Blergh]

On 7/31/2021 at 6:28 AM, Kyle said:

I’ve heard Katherine MacGregor describe Harriet as “foolish” as well. What’s interesting is that in the early episodes, Harriet is not foolish at all, but instead a sharp, manipulative, often hateful character who is a threat. It’s only as time went on that they changed her into comic relief and she became foolish.

I think that may have been more from Miss MacGregor's own input and the realization that if Harriet (and, for that matter, Nellie) were to somehow be nothing but hateful with no Achilles' heels  ( or 'foolishness') the viewers would wind up hating them even more than Laura did! 

[debraran]

8 hours ago, Blergh said:

I think that may have been more from Miss MacGregor's own input and the realization that if Harriet (and, for that matter, Nellie) were to somehow be nothing but hateful with no Achilles' heels  ( or 'foolishness') the viewers would wind up hating them even more than Laura did! 

She gave some very good interviews, one in a magazine book I read. Smart woman, very forceful. She got some other costars to occasionally give input when shy. She never was. ; )

I think she was right. Harriet was multi-faceted and always rose to the occasion when things were dire or someone was sick or hurt. They made her worse when they needed too but I'm glad you got to see shows where she wasn't. She told someone in an interview she was writing a memoir but I guess not or it wasn't finished. In the interview the author said " She has a lovely scene in the season six episode “The Preacher Takes a Wife,” when she and a former fiancé reconnect. Sure, 99 percent of the time, she was Walnut Grove’s version of Miss Gulch, but when tragedy hit, Harriet could rise to the occasion. Actor Dean Butler (Almanzo) gave an insightful comment in one of the DVD season six extras — “Little House” is not literal; it’s a child’s (i.e. Laura’s) perspective. That clicked for me and I appreciated MacGregor and Arngrim’s work even more.

I wish she had a little more balance but without her, the show would have been super saccharine at times.

[Mr. Sparkle]

ATTENTION: SCHLONG OF HEALING IS ON NOW. 

REPEAT: SCHLONG OF HEALING IS ON UPTV RIGHT NOW. 

THIS IS NOT A DRILL. 

[Zella]

6 minutes ago, Superclam said:

ATTENTION: SCHLONG OF HEALING IS ON NOW. 

REPEAT: SCHLONG OF HEALING IS ON UPTV RIGHT NOW. 

THIS IS NOT A DRILL. 

It's been months since I finished this show, and I still have random moments during my day where my mind suddenly wonders why James got the schlong of healing and Albert didn't and why Charles was in denial about experiencing previous miracles. I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS?! 

[Egg McMuffin]

Albert killed Alice and Mary’s baby. Charles knew that the schlong of healing wouldn’t work for Albert because his God is vengeful. But the worst thing that James did was wear a bowl haircut and break Albert’s razor (note whose razor it was), so his God was willing to go along in that case.

[Blergh]

Perhaps I was naive (or simply didn't want to go there) but until I saw the online comments describing the Charles's structure as an. ..anatomy piece, I had just considered it nothing more than a failed chimney (and I would think any future pioneers happening upon it would have likely considered that hypothesis). 

[Mr. Sparkle]

To be honest, and a bit crude, (I apologize in advance) it looks more like a buttplug of healing to me. 

9 hours ago, Blergh said:

(and I would think any future pioneers happening upon it would have likely considered that hypothesis). 

Depends on how swingin' those future pioneers were! 

9 hours ago, Zella said:

It's been months since I finished this show, and I still have random moments during my day where my mind suddenly wonders why James got the schlong of healing and Albert didn't and why Charles was in denial about experiencing previous miracles. I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS?! 

More importantly, why did James get a mismatched fake beard and moustache combo on Charles and Albert didn't? 

[Blergh]

Of course other questions arise such as not only how it would have been possible to feed James via the glass tube without James aspirating and/or choking on it if James was unconscious but also was James wearing extra large cloth diapers under his pants since there was no way he could have used a chamber pot,etc.  in his condition. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Yeah, they left out a lot of "science" on this one, without even including the miraculous events. 

[Zella]

12 minutes ago, Blergh said:

Perhaps I was naive (or simply didn't want to go there) but until I saw the online comments describing the Charles's structure as an. ..anatomy piece, I had just considered it nothing more than a failed chimney (and I would think any future pioneers happening upon it would have likely considered that hypothesis). 

As a former English major, I'm pretty gleeful about spotting phallic symbols and making other people uncomfortable with them. So, i totally thought it looked like well that, but I didn't apply the glorious schlong name to it until I saw people here using it.

[Blergh]

On 8/2/2021 at 4:11 AM, debraran said:

  She told someone in an interview she was writing a memoir but I guess not or it wasn't finished. In the interview the author said 

Ah, but let's not forget that Miss MacGregor had been an only child, , long since divorced and had never   had children of her own so (unless there's an unknown executor of whatever estate she may have left), there truly were no  known survivors who would have benefited/profited from it being published after her death.  Hence, it's possible she may have completed the manuscript but for the above reasons, it will never see the light of day (and may have even been thrown out by the nursing home staff,etc. clearing out her belongings after her demise in 2018). 

BTW, Eddie Albert mentioned in an interview (when he was 88) that he was writing his own autobio but it wouldn't be too much longer before he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and would die at age 99 (and his caregiving son Edward Albert would die the next year of lung cancer at age 55- and no trace of any Albert autobio has been noted).

Hence,it's possible that not only was Miss MacGregor unable to finish it before her death but she herself may not have been in any shape to have been still working on for some time beforehand. The last known reaction of Miss MacGregor was in joining Richard Bull's widow at their nursing home in commemorating 'their' husband after his death in 2014 but what kind of shape she was thereafter for the last four years of her own life has been kept quiet. 

Edited August 3, 2021 by Blergh

[Mr. Sparkle]

In further, if less dramatic, broadcast news: the Hallmark Drama Channel is once again showing our favorite show in the afternoons! Take that, Dr. Quinn! 

[Egg McMuffin]

1 hour ago, Superclam said:

In further, if less dramatic, broadcast news: the Hallmark Drama Channel is once again showing our favorite show in the afternoons! Take that, Dr. Quinn! 

Dr Quinn would be much better if had more blind people. And orphans. And blind orphans. And fires. And mimes running around attacking people.

[Mr. Sparkle]

59 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

Cozi airs LHOTP from 3pm-6pm everyday, and 6am - 9am on Saturdays.

I don't know if Hallmark Drama censors language or not.  I know that on the mothership there have been quite a few awkward pauses during Frasier episodes.  I have waited all of these years and still have not seen the High Holidays episode aired on that network.

Cozi is not available with my cable package for whatever reason. It's on UPTv in the morning and weekends. It was on Hallmark Drama in the afternoons for a long time, and then it ended for Dr. Quinn. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

31 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

Here is a link to their website where you can punch in your zip code and they will tell you if they have a local provider.  New digital sub-channels pop up on my cable system, all of the time.   I don't even notice them unless I am looking for them.

Thanks. That came up with a big goose egg for me. Anyway, I have UPTv in the morning, Hallmark Drama in the afternoon, Amazon and Peacock on demand. That should take care of my Little House needs. 

For whatever reason, I'd rather watch broadcast than stream. I think that way I can watch with one eye and do other things with the other. When I stream shows, I feel a need to pay perfect attention. No idea why. 

On another note, today is real-life Carrie Ingalls birthday! 

[Zella]

1 hour ago, Superclam said:

On another note, today is real-life Carrie Ingalls birthday! 

Today's my birthday, too, and I didn't realize I shared it with Carrie! Unlike TV Carrie, Real Carrie actually seemed pretty cool. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

3 minutes ago, Zella said:

Today's my birthday, too, and I didn't realize I shared it with Carrie! Unlike TV Carrie, Real Carrie actually seemed pretty cool. 

Happy Birthday! 

And yes, it appears that real Carrie could form complete sentences at an appropriate age.  

[Zella]

22 minutes ago, Superclam said:

Happy Birthday! 

And yes, it appears that real Carrie could form complete sentences at an appropriate age.  

Thank you! I've debated whether I should celebrate by rewatching the Schlong of Healing. My head says no. My heart and funny bone say yes. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Mr. Sparkle]

32 minutes ago, Zella said:

Thank you! I've debated whether I should celebrate by rewatching the Schlong of Healing. My head says no. My heart and funny bone say yes. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Follow your heart! 

[debraran]

I'm watching the famous dish episode, where Charles is allowed to lie and flirt and get his wife some decent dishes, working his hands to the bone and then they are forever put in storage. (or maybe she broke them) OR sold them when Charles had another crop failure or something.

I love how Caroline "trusts" Charles and runs away from Harriet but then spies on him, and goes back home to sulk. ; )

I guess we are all human even on TV. It was so nice though, I hated how they never used it again. When they pulled away you could see the tea kettle on her hutch, a bowl maybe on counter. If you say EVERYDAY Michael, it's everyday. lol

Edited August 3, 2021 by debraran

[Egg McMuffin]

Why do they need nice dishes when they live in that crapshack? Charles should have bought Caroline a nice ham. Much more practical.

[debraran]

Laura never lived like that, she had glass dishes and nice things. I know the Ingall's didn't always either, but for Caroline's long life on LHOP, having nothing in that cabin but tin cups and plates seems odd. The poor widows and rich widows and friends of theirs had more, Laura had more, no one made a lot of money but I guess it fit with the look he wanted. I just felt a few touches other than a new stove and pump over all those years might have been nice especially with Caroline working at the restaurant and Charles working.

When they moved to the city, they had a nice place at the end, a real house and it almost looked like the Oleson's if I remember correctly. A lot wasn't shown but when someone was coming he didn't like they showed kitchen and living area while Charles talked to Caroline.

[jason88cubs]

14 hours ago, debraran said:

I'm watching the famous dish episode, where Charles is allowed to lie and flirt and get his wife some decent dishes, working his hands to the bone and then they are forever put in storage. (or maybe she broke them) OR sold them when Charles had another crop failure or something.

I love how Caroline "trusts" Charles and runs away from Harriet but then spies on him, and goes back home to sulk. ; )

I guess we are all human even on TV. It was so nice though, I hated how they never used it again. When they pulled away you could see the tea kettle on her hutch, a bowl maybe on counter. If you say EVERYDAY Michael, it's everyday. lol

Think how Caroline would have felt if she had saw Charles with that one lady in "Someone, please love me"

[Pirpana]

21 hours ago, Zella said:

Today's my birthday, too, and I didn't realize I shared it with Carrie! Unlike TV Carrie, Real Carrie actually seemed pretty cool. 

Happy Birthday from me too. That's way nicer than me who was born on same day as real life Laura died. Well, 32 years later but anyway.

[Blergh]

4 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

Think how Caroline would have felt if she had saw Charles with that one lady in "Someone, please love me"

What was a bit odd was the postscript. It had a   Laura narration (a rare thing by Season Five) and in it she said the family wrote Pa that the heavily boozing other man's wife bore a son named 'Charles Michael. . .' -TWO years after Pa's time with them. (edited to add that I just watched the tag and the name was the opposite of what I'd thought with Charles being the first and Michael [after their family's lost firstborn son and uno hoo] being the middle name).

Of course, this led me to wonder how much detail of the time spent with this unhappy couple and their traumatized surviving children did Pa tell Laura? Yes, he seemed to guilt the man to quit the booze at that time (and hopefully the extramarital flings) and guilted the woman to hold off divorcing him ALL because she admitted she still loved the boozer in spite of all he'd put her and their children through, but can a few pep talks in a couple of days truly do a 180 after years of trainwreck behavior ?

Yes, taking a married woman and her kids on a picnic while acting like Dear Abby  to her over her troubles wasn't the most conventional behavior for respectable married men back then but I wonder how much Charles told Caroline of that ( even factoring him evidently having told Laura 'for the books') . 

BTW, the boozer's daughter was played by none other than Kyle Richards who'd play Alicia Edwards before Victor French's abrupt departure and would play her AGAIN three seasons later in the last appearance of Mr. Edwards's family in 'A Promise to Keep' (Season Eight). 

Edited August 4, 2021 by Blergh

[debraran]

3 hours ago, jason88cubs said:

Think how Caroline would have felt if she had saw Charles with that one lady in "Someone, please love me"

Much more gossip there instead of with poor Chris. At least he could have done all the chores that needed to be done while Charles was saving people all over the county ;) 

[Egg McMuffin]

 

1 hour ago, Blergh said:

BTW, the boozer's daughter was played by none other than Kyle Richards who'd play Alicia Edwards before Victor French's abrupt departure and would play her AGAIN three seasons later in the last appearance of Mr. Edwards's family in 'A Promise to Keep' (Season Eight). 

Richards actually returned as Alicia only 10 episodes after “Someone, Please Love Me” in “The Return of Mr Edwards” (season six). It’s jarring to watch in reruns, to see her back as a different character, so quickly.

Edited August 4, 2021 by Kyle

[Snow Apple]

It's Willie and Rachel's wedding today and her dress is so beautiful except for the big bow on her head.

[Mr. Sparkle]

37 minutes ago, Snow Apple said:

It's Willie and Rachel's wedding today and her dress is so beautiful except for the big bow on her head.

I caught that one! If I'm not mistaken, it's the last appearance of Mrs. Oleson, and of course she goes out in a ridiculous, over-the-top bang. 

The pilot movie is up next. I started watching these again in April 2020, everyone knows the reason why. I wonder how many times I've cycled through the whole series on both UPtv and Hallmark Drama? There are some that always seem to be on, and others that I never seem to catch. No idea why. 

[Blergh]

1 hour ago, Superclam said:

I caught that one! If I'm not mistaken, it's the last appearance of Mrs. Oleson, and of course she goes out in a ridiculous, over-the-top bang. 

 

That's right! After failing to sabotage Willie's wedding and having Willie (REALLY) tell her off, Harriet 'sneaks' into the Walnut Grove church in widow's weeds - thinking somehow no one would think she'd actually ATTENDED his wedding.

The reason given for Miss MacGregor for not being in the TV movies afterwards was that she took a long pilgrimage to India and couldn't/wouldn't alter her plans. However, I wonder if the TV movies didn't get confirmed until long after Willie's wedding was said and done and Miss MacGregor may have thought that with the last episode, the WHOLE series was done and had made her plans based on that! 

[Mr. Sparkle]

I wonder if the proposed series, with Laura running the boarding house, would've including Harriet. I'm assuming Willie and his bride were to be involved. 

[Brn2bwild]

"Goodbye, Mrs. Wilder" was such a wasted opportunity.  Of course Mrs. Oleson's idea to teach French and art history was ridiculous and destined to fail.  We can't have her actually succeed and the kids learn new concepts that expand their minds.  It would have been so refreshing to have Harriet be a smashing success as a part-time teacher who comes in a few times a week to teach the extra subjects. 

Also, the whole "farmers kids will want to be farmers" thing seems not only limiting, but a contradiction of Laura's attitude in "Sweet Sixteen," when she told Chad he could be anything.

It's amusing they went out of their way to point out how useless it was to know French when they couldn't speak it, when many young men back then would have been studying Latin. 

Edited August 10, 2021 by Brn2bwild

[debraran]

7 hours ago, Brn2bwild said:

"Goodbye, Mrs. Wilder" was such a wasted opportunity.  Of course Mrs. Oleson's idea to teach French and art history was ridiculous and destined to fail.  We can't have her actually succeed and the kids learn new concepts that expand their minds.  It would have been so refreshing to have Harriet be a smashing success as a part-time teacher who comes in a few times a week to teach the extra subjects. 

Also, the whole "farmers kids will want to be farmers" thing seems not only limiting, but a contradiction of Laura's attitude in "Sweet Sixteen," when she told Chad he could be anything.

It's amusing they went out of their way to point out how useless it was to know French when they couldn't speak it, when many young men back then would have been studying Latin. 

I love that idea and thought similar back when I watched it again. It would have given more substance and opportunity for funny moments with some of her classes. Sure many kids were going to be farmers, but learning more about it (as the guy Joe Coulter did) would have been nice. But what about students like Willie and Albert and John Jr who could have used more studies to go to college or just know more about life in general. I always felt Caroline was the educated one in the Ingall's family and would have loved to have more interesting books or activities close to town.

I thought to make Harriet look worse they had the art class part, NO way even Harriet would have had The Bathers  or The Rape of the Sabine Women” Sure it's "art" but she knows they had Willie chastised for looking at bras in a catalog, you don't show kids those things in 1800's. I know Harriet was more educated than most but that was just silly. I wonder if Katherine balked.

Edited August 10, 2021 by debraran

[Blergh]

I agree how Rev. Alden was a total fail until almost too late re 'The Bully Boys'. I mean he blew off them nearly assaulting Caroline . Caroline, the faithful churchgoing   salt of the Earth stoic pioneer woman and pillar of their community (of all people) had just had a silly misunderstanding and that they'd meant no harm?! REALLY, Reverend Alden? I think after that episode ALL of Walnut Grove (and Hero Township) should have seriously considered whether he'd blow off ANY females' claims because if he refused to consider  listening to much less acting upon what had happened to Caroline what chance would he believe any other woman or girl living there?

Edited August 10, 2021 by Blergh

[alexa]

On 8/10/2021 at 5:12 AM, icemiser69 said:

How was Walnut Grove able to ever survive as a community?  It didn't seem like it had a large enough population, including people traveling through town, to keep the Oleson's in business.

The bullying episode proved that the community had to stand together to keep the peace.  They didn't have law enforcers, no jail.  A small group of bad guys could easily take over that community.

Honestly I think the size of the town, number of people is fairly represented.  When reading the books you knew the towns were small, and also that many lived on farms and only came into town occasionally.  Most of the towns had some kind of store, and typically a few of different types.  It isn’t all that much different than the very small towns of today that have a low population but have the basics for daily life.

[Pirpana]

Yesterday I watched Sweet Sixteen. Overall it was a very good episode, except for the infamous inconsistencies in writing from episode to episode. The most obvious one is off course the last exchange between pa and ma, "I'm dying to call you grandpa". They just plainly forgot that a couple episodes ago their first grandchild died in a fire, and the blind parents of said grandchild are in the same room with them. But no matter because this is not the same writer (it's John T. Dugan) so the most important thing is to end the episode on a funny upbeat quip, no matter how stupid and inconsiderate that sounds.

Also, in this episode the peeping Tom gets the treatment he deserves. Willie tries to peep on Laura and when he gets caught, he is sent to his room and maybe given more punishment when Nels finds out what was "all the commotion". Not blaming on Laura this time like Sylvia in next season.

I don't know, maybe I'm too harsh on LH when blaming on its inconsistencies (but it's so funny!), maybe that was the way they did TV shows back then and LH was just a product of its time. But sometimes it feels like different writers didn't have a clue on what someone else had written earlier (grandpa line). Maybe they didn't bother because back then viewers didn't have the means to talk with each other and point out stupidities like we have now. Maybe family members pointed out, "Did you notice that, how stupid!" but by the time next episode came, they had all ready forgotten about it. But I do think that someone in that big filming crew should have opened their mouths and said that that kind of ending line for this episode wasn't possible.

Also, we all know the real life Laura was born in February. Funny how summerlike February it is in this episode! Okay, this is meant to be taken as funny, tongue-in-the-cheek observation, I know why they weren't able to create snowy sceneries.

And one other thing, notice when Almanzo is spooning sugar in his tea and Eliza-Jane points out about that, just when he says, "wasn't even thinking", the table buckles a little. Wonder if  that was a cue for Dean.

PS. When I was looking for that pic, I stumbled upon a very mindboggling piece of information: Our favorite episode to nitpick, May We Make Them Proud, is actually a prize-winning one. And yes, you guessed it, for writing!

Edited August 11, 2021 by Pirpana

[CountryGirl]

One of my favorite scenes in Sweet Sixteen is when Almanzo is whining to Eliza Jane about how he asked Laura to the social and was full of himself about how he was being so nice to have asked her.

Eliza Jane wanted to know what Laura had said and he said, "She said she had to THINK about it!" and Eliza Jane just smiled to herself and said, "Oh" and had to suppress the urge to laugh in her brother's face. So satisfying!

Also, for years, I thought Dean Butler's Almanzo was Melissa Gilbert's first kiss - period - not just on-screen. Turns out Chad Brewster beat him to the punch (pun intended).

This is an excerpt from Melissa's My Prairie Cookbook: Memories and Frontier Food from My Little House to Yours:

"This episode was shot several months before I turned sixteen myself. That is the episode where the romance between Laura and Almanzo really begins. In fact, they have their first kiss. I remember shooting that kiss and it was a really big deal. It was kind of scary, but it ended up being very sweet and tender. Bless Dean Butler's heart. He was a grown man having to kiss a child. I can only imagine the pressure he felt. If only I'd been able to tell him that I had already kissed a boy in real life - Tim Maier. He played Chad Brewster in that episode. Nobody knew. But they do now."